


Denny's

by ChimaeraKitten



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bat Family, Gen, No editing we die like mne, OOC with everything, One Shot, POV Outsider, Silly, Well - Freeform, and I'm not going to apologize for that, because I am pro-fun, but sometimes fanon is fun, completely OOC with the coffee thing really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 14:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8804629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChimaeraKitten/pseuds/ChimaeraKitten
Summary: Two college students take a break from an all nighter. (and sulking) They run into some interesting people.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So one of my favorite things is world building. Looking for just a second into the life of a background character. which is why this *technically* stars OC's. (tho they aren't really developed enough to call OC's and I have no intention of writing more about them) So yeah, bear with me, here, I promise it's funny.

Tess harrumphed as they sat down.

“Look, I know you don’t want to be here, but we need a break. Me from studying and you from sulking.”

“I wasn’t sulking.”

“I don’t know what _you_ call sitting on your bed bemoaning a breakup all day, but _I_ call it sulking.”

Tess made a grumbling noise, and Emma cast about for a new topic. Her eyes fell on the only other occupied table in the restaurant. Something about them looked familiar… Then it hit her. “Is that the _Wayne_ family?”

Tess craned her neck around for a look “…yes”

“Why are they here?”

“Probably for the food.”

“No, I mean, why are they _here_. At _Denny’s._ ”

“How should I know?”

“Don’t people like that eat at like… five star fancy restaurants?”

“Em, I don’t think five star restaurants are open at three in the morning.”

“Yeah, but don’t they have like, an army of servants or something? Why _Denny’s_?”

Just then, the waitress came by.

“Hi, Can I take your order?”

“Em. _Eeeeem_.”

“Hm?”

“Em please stop staring at the Wayne family and tell the nice lady what kind of pancakes you want.”

“But I still don’t know why they’re _here_.” Emma’s voice had a slight whine to it.

“Em, I swear to god, you’re embarrassing me in front of the waitress.”

The waitress smiled. “You’re wondering about the Wayne family?”

“Not you too.”

“I just don’t _understand_.”

“Nobody did, at first, but we all like them now. No concept of the proper amount to tip.” She shook her head in a sad way, like: _poor rich people_. “I got a hundred bucks the last time I waited on them.”

“Woah.” Emma said, awe in her eyes.

“Once, the kid spilled coffee on a busboy and they paid his student loans.”

Now Tess was interested. “No way.”

“It’s true. Some of us thought it was so he wouldn’t sue them, -he did get a little burned- but he told me he didn’t have the money to press charges anyway, and they really felt bad.”

“That’s insane.”

“See that picture over there?”

Both Tess and Emma turned to see a framed portrait hanging on the wall next to the employee of the month plaque.

“Why is Tim Wayne on your wall”

“He found the bottom of bottomless coffee.”

“…How?”

“It was late on a Sunday night. We were running out, but we still had enough to get to the delivery Monday morning. Until _he_ came in. I have never in my life seen someone drink that much coffee—“ She shuddered. “—And I hope I never will again.”

“But,” Emma was clearly confused “why put his photo on the wall?”

“You can’t read it from here, but underneath it says ‘do not under any circumstances, serve coffee’”

“Ah.”

“So, your order?”

“Um… can I get the pancakes that looks like Rudolph?”

“Em, that’s on the kid’s menu.”

“It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

The waitress laughed. “ Yeah, sure, you can get that. Nobody polices the kids menu at three in the morning anyway.”

“See, Tess?”

“Why did I agree to come here with you? You always act like a five year old.”

Emma stuck out her tongue, which did nothing to prove Tess wrong.

“And your order?”

“Right, sorry, I’ll have the chicken fried streak please.”

“Okay!” She gathered up the menus. “Be back in a bit!”

She walked away; surprisingly chipper for a person working in a Denney’s at 3am, which left Tess and Emma alone

“Em, you are in _college_ , why did you have to order Rudolf pancakes.”

“It’s fucking Rudolph Tess! Rudolph! I fucking _love_ him Tess.”

“I have known you for three years and I have never once heard you mention Rudolph.”

“It’s also three in the morning and we’re eating at a Denny’s and the richest people in the whole damn city are sitting behind us. I felt like it was time for a Christmas miracle.”

“A Christmas miracle.”

“Yes.”

“Rudolph.”

“Yes.”

“At Denny’s.”

“Yes.”

“At three in the morning.”

“Don’t forget the rich people.”

“Ah yes, the rich people are certainly what makes your Rudolph pancakes a Christmas miracle.”

“Just let me have this Tess.”

Tess’s response was cut off by a screech from behind them. Reflexively they turned around to look at the only other occupied table.

“UNHAND MY COFFEE DRAKE.”

“YOU DON’T EVEN LIKE COFFEE.”

“BUT THIS IS MINE! GET YOUR OWN!”

“Dami, you know why he can’t do that.”

“IT’S NOT MY FAULT HE DRANK SO MUCH HE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL!”

“Damian, please quiet down, you’re annoying the other costumers.”

“WHAT THAT ONE TABLE OVER THERE? THEY WERE GOSSIPING ABOUT US EARLIER WITH THE WAITRESS FATHER, ANNOYING THEM IS THE LEAST I CAN DO.”

Emma and Tess looked at each other. How the hell had he heard that? They were on the other side of the restaurant! (Sure, it was an empty restaurant, but still)

“Be that as it may, you still shouldn’t yell in a restaurant.”

“I WILL—“ the voice was suddenly muffled.

“Damian, you had better shut the frack up, or you’re going to get us banned from _another_ Denny’s, and this is the closest one to my place, so there will be _hell_ to pay.”

“mmmmph!”

“Listen Dami, I’ll let you order the cookie milkshake if you quiet down.”

Evidently this pacified the kid, because the Waynes again lapsed into quiet conversation, though Tess and Emma could hear a quiet “Okay, so are we all gonna just ignore that Jason just said ‘shut the frack up’ or…”

Tess and Emma stared at each other in wide-eyed silence for a moment before Emma started shaking.

“Don’t you dare.”

Emma was making squeaking sounds.

“Emma if you start laughing I’m going to kill you.”

“It’s just… just…” the words were strangled.  
“Please don’t do this to me.”

“ _Another_ Denny’s?” Emma finally let loose laughing, with a high-pitched, squeaky laugh that occasionally lapsed into breathless silence, and almost certainly carried across the restaurant.

Tess put her face in her hands. She was still like that when the waitress returned with the food.

“Ooh! Rudolph!” Emma exclaimed, whipping the tears from her eyes. She leaned forward and stage whispered, “He’s just as beautiful as I imagined.”

“That’s because you saw the picture on the Menu.”

“You’re taking all the fun out of my Christmas miracle.” Emma complained, though it looked more like she was thriving on Tess’s pessimism.

The waitress laughed, “Anything else you need?”

“No, thank you. I think we’re set.” Tess was the one to say it, because Emma was completely enthralled with her pancakes.

They ate in happy silence for a few minutes before one of the guys from the Wayne table wandered over, clearly to say something.”

“Hiya, watsch ups?” Emma said around the huge bite of pancake in her mouth.

Tess sighed. “I’m sorry she laughed at you guys, really. In her defense, I don’t think she’s slept this week.”

“She and Tim would get along well then, but I was coming over to apologize for my little brother.”

Emma gulped down her bite. “Well, he was right. We were talking about you.”

Tess kicked her under the table, but the guy just laughed.

“You and everyone else in any restaurant we ever go to. If the famous thing wasn’t enough, we have this tendency to cause a _scene_.”

“I had no idea.” Tess said dryly.

He grinned, and held out his hand. “I’m Dick by the way.”

“Tess.” She said, taking it

“You guys university students?”

“Yep, taking a break from an all-nighter.”

“Ah, college. Glad to be rid of it.”

“It’s not so bad. It’s fun mostly. You meet some interesting people.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Even in A Denny’s at three am?”

“ _Especially_ in a Denny’s at three am.” She flashed him a smile, and he smiled back.

“HEY DICK, COME OVER HERE AND SETTLE THIS!”

“Gotta make sure my brothers don’t blow up the place.” He winked. “See ya around.” He walked away, hands in his pockets.

Emma barely waited a second before: “O.M.G.”

“What?”

“You just flirted with Dick Grayson.”

“What, no that wasn’t…” Tess turned red.

“You totally did! Now aren’t you glad I brought you here?”

“Shut up.”

Tess blushed furiously through the remainder of the meal. When they got up to leave they discovered that a phone number was jotted down on Tess’s napkin with the note “Coffee sometime? Somewhere other than Denny’s. ;) ”

“When did he give you his phone number?”

“I don’t know!”

“Are you gonna call him?”

She neglected to answer because she was waving goodbye to the Wayne table. Dick waved back and smiled.

“So, you gonna call him?”

“Maybe.” She smiled again.

“Going to Denny’s as a pick me up: another great idea from Emma Scott.” Emma whispered under her breath, and joined her friend out into the cold.

**Author's Note:**

> the funniest thing about writing this fanfic was how badly I spell Rudolph. Including Rudolpholph and Rudolpgh and Rudolf.  
> PS: the Rudolph pancakes are real. I was looking up Denny’s kids’ menus and when I saw them I realized I had to change like, half this fic.


End file.
